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Geldof faces lawsuit
15/06/2005 10:04 - (SA)
London - Irish rocker-turned-activist Bob Geldof has been threatened with legal action by ex-members of his old band, the Boomtown Rats, over alleged unpaid royalties, the BBC reported on Wednesday.
The band members claim he owes them money from the 1970s and 1980s, when the band had hits including I Don't Like Mondays, it said on its website.
Guitarist Gerry Cott, Simon Crowe, Garrick Roberts and John "Johnnie Fingers" Moylett have joined forces to try to get the money they claim they are owed, it said.
In a statement released by Cott, who quit the band in 1981, they said: "We jointly confirm that with the utmost regret we are pressing ahead with our claims against Bob Geldof and others for our rightful entitlement to a proper share of recording, publishing and merchandising income.
"We have retained the London solicitor Angel and Co to act on our behalf and anticipate that proceedings will have to be issued shortly. We have no further comment at this stage," it said.
They have also requested financial information from Universal Music, the record label which released a Boomtown Rats greatest hits compilation and re-mastered versions of their six studio albums earlier this year.
Geldof was unavailable to comment on Tuesday, his spokesperson said.
The Boomtown Rats split in 1986, not long after they performed at Live Aid, which Geldof organised to raise money to fight famine in Ethiopia.
He is now involved in setting up the Live 8 concerts in London and other capitals to put pressure on the Group of Eight leading industrial countries to help lift Africa out of poverty.
- AFP
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South Africa
